Holocaust Remembrance Day

It has been over 60 years since the Holocaust - to some - ancient history and yet to survivors and their families - their memories of the Holocaust seldom fade or seem far away. As always, with any event in history, there are those who question the purpose for remembering something that seems so far away from their everyday lives, so distant and incomprehensible. Holocaust Remembrance Day is set aside to assure that this history lesson will never be forgotten - that at least for one day a year - we remember those that suffered, those that fought, and those that died. We remember the millions of Jews, Poles, Gypsies and others who were treated as less than human and murdered by Hitler and his Nazi government. We remember the families that were wiped out, lost forever.

In Israel, on April 12, 1951, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) proclaimed Yom Hashoah U'Mered HaGetaot (Holocaust and Ghetto Revolt Remembrance Day) to be the 27th of Nissan. The name later became known as Yom Hashoah Ve Hagevurah (Devastation and Heroism Day) and even later simplified to Yom Hashoah. The Knesset made Yom Hashoah a national public holiday in 1959 and in 1961 a law was passed that closed all public entertainment on Yom Hashoah. At ten in the morning, a siren is sounded where everyone stops what they are doing, pull over in their cars, and stand in remembrance.

Dates for Yom Hashoah

2007 Sunday, April 15

2008 Friday, May 2

2009 Tuesday, April 21

2010 Sunday, April 11

2011 Sunday, May 1

2012 Thursday, April 19

2013 Sunday, April 7

2014 Sunday, April 27

2015 Thursday, April 16

2016 Thursday, May 5

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Holocaust Remembrance Day is a day that has been set aside for remembering the victims of the Holocaust and for reminding Americans of what can happen to civilized people when bigotry, hatred and indifference reign. The United States Holocaust Memorial Council, created by act of Congress in 1980, was mandated to lead the nation in civic commemorations and to encourage appropriate Remembrance observances throughout the country. ushmm.org

The Holocaust is not merely a story of destruction and loss; it is a story of an apathetic world and a few rare individuals of extraordinary courage. It is a remarkable story of the human spirit and the life that flourished before the Holocaust, struggled during its darkest hours, and ultimately prevailed as survivors rebuilt their lives. ushmm.org

Children in Crisis: Voices from the Holocaust

"The systematic exploitation and murder of children in the Holocaust is one of the most egregious of Nazi crimes and also one of the least documented. Many children died with their families in the mass shootings perpetrated by the Nazi Einsatzgruppen or perished from privation in the ghettos of Eastern Europe. Hundreds of thousands more children, deemed too young or otherwise unsuitable for forced labor, were exterminated upon their arrival in the death camps. And these deaths, like the others, went undocumented since the children were never formally registered as camp prisoners." ushmm.org

To learn more about the children of the Holocaust, visit the Holocaust Museum's extensive collection of stories and research about the Holocaust. The stories of the children, their separation from their mothers and fathers and siblings come alive - stories of great dispair and undying hope. [BIBLIOGRAPHIES]

Children were frequently among the first to be murdered when the Germans and their collaborators sought to destroy a Jewish community. Upon arrival at Auschwitz and other killing centers, most children were sent straight to their deaths in the gas chambers. As part of the "Final Solution," the Nazis targeted children for death as so-called "useless eaters," incapable of exploitation as forced laborers. Only a small fraction of European Jewish children survived the Holocaust, many because they were hidden. With identities disguised, and often physically concealed from the outside world, these young people faced constant fear and danger. Theirs was a life in shadows, where a careless remark, the murmurings of inquisitive neighbors, or a denunciation could lead to discovery and death. Most of these "hidden" children survived the Holocaust because they were protected by people and institutions of other faiths. ushmm.org

You who read these words, remember.
Remember that, in the years of darkness from 1933 to 1945, in German-occupied Europe, six million men, women and children were murdered with unprecedented brutality only because they were Jews.
Remember that thousands upon thousands of Jewish communities were uprooted, schools and synagogues destroyed, and the hopes of an entire generations reduced to ashes.
Remember that all this happened at a time when evil was triumphant because the world remained silent." ~Elie Wiesel, Survivor, Recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace, 1986. "Remember", Inscription in the memorial at the Holocaust Memorial Park, Brooklyn NY by Elie Wiesel

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

Statement of Commitment

We recognise that the Holocaust shook the foundations of modern civilisation. Its unprecedented character and horror will always hold universal meaning.

We believe the Holocaust must have a permanent place in our nation's collective memory. We honour the survivors still with us, and reaffirm our shared goals of mutual understanding and justice.

We must make sure that future generations understand the causes of the Holocaust and reflect upon its consequences. We vow to remember the victims of Nazi persecution and of all genocide.

We value the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives to protect or rescue victims, as a touchstone of the human capacity for good in the face of evil.

We recognise that humanity is still scarred by the belief that race, religion, disability or sexuality make some people's lives worth less than others'. Genocide, antisemitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination still continue. We have a shared responsibility to fight these evils.

We pledge to strengthen our efforts to promote education and research about the Holocaust and other genocide. We will do our utmost to make sure that the lessons of such events are fully learnt.

We will continue to encourage Holocaust remembrance by holding an annual UK Holocaust Memorial Day. We condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism. We value a free, tolerant, and democratic society.